Four Massachusetts cities — Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster — have declared voluntary evening lockdowns in an effort to curb the spread of a potentially deadly virus. mosquito-borne disease.

The decision comes after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed the first human case of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) since 2020 in Worcester County.

The Oxford Board of Health on Wednesday approved a recommendation to stay indoors after 6pm, effective immediately and until 30 September, according to a public health advisory shared with Fox News Digital.

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From October 1st, it is advised to stay indoors after 5:00 PM until the first frost.

The period from sunset to sunrise is considered “peak hours for mosquitoes“, the statement said.

Four Massachusetts cities — Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster — have issued voluntary evening lockdowns in an effort to curb the spread of a potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease. (iStock)

The advice identifies the four communities as ‘critical risk’.

“It is the responsibility of the Health Council to public health“We take EEE very seriously and strongly encourage residents to follow these recommendations due to the seriousness of EEE and its prevalence in our community,” a spokesperson for the city of Oxford said in an email to Fox News Digital.

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“So far this year, there has been only one human case of EEE in Massachusetts, but mosquitoes across the state have tested positive for EEE.”

The infected person, who lives in Oxford, remains “in the hospital and is courageously fighting this virus,” according to a Wednesday memo from Oxford’s city manager, which was provided to Fox News Digital.

The lockdowns are considered recommendations and will not be enforced if residents do not comply, the city spokesperson said.

According to the CDC, eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus that is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. The disease is described as a “rare but serious illness.” (Reuters/CDC/James Gathany)

“We want to inform our residents about EEE and the seriousness of the disease, and make them aware of the risks,” the statement said.

“However, if they wish to use city fields outside of these recommendations, they must provide proof of insurance and sign a waiver.”

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Oxford is working with the other three critical risk communities and all four are making the same recommendations, the spokesperson confirmed.

“Schools work to reschedule and adjust their sports schedules so that practices and games take place prior to these evenings and on weekends,” the email said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Oxford Public Schools for comment.

What is Eastern Equine Encephalitis?

Eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus which is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which describes EEE as a “rare but serious illness.”

“Oriental equine encephalitis can cause a brain infection (encephalitis), which can be fatal.”

Only a few cases are reported each year in the U.S., most of them in the eastern states or on the Gulf Coast, the agency said on its website.

Humans and other animals that contract the virus are considered “dead terminal hosts” by the CDC, meaning they cannot transmit the virus to the mosquitoes that bite them.

Elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk of mosquito-borne encephalitis, an expert said. (iStock)

Common symptoms Symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness.

These usually appear five to ten days after the bite.

The disease can be fatal, with 30% of infected people dying. It can also lead to chronic neurological deficits, according to the CDC.

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“Eastern equine encephalitis can cause a brain infection (encephalitis), which can be fatal,” said Edward Liu, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Fox News Digital told.

According to Liu, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of mosquito-borne encephalitis.

According to experts, preventing mosquito bites is the most effective way to protect yourself from the disease. (iStock)

Dr. John Ayers, vice chief of innovation in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California San Diego, confirmed to Fox News Digital that EEE is “serious but extremely rare.”

“Without clear preventive measures, cases are significantly rarer than lightning strikes,” he said.

Prevention and treatment

The fact that local mosquitoes are carrying the virus and that a patient from Massachusetts has become infected is “concerning,” Liu said.

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“While evening lockdowns can provide protection, other options include educating the public about the risks, encouraging the use of mosquito repellents and spraying to prevent the presence of mosquitoes,” he advised.

Ayers added: “I don’t think there’s anything you can do to meaningfully reduce your individual chances of getting disease, because they already so low.”

“There is no treatment for this viral encephalitis, so prevention and supportive care are the only options.”

He agrees that the usual strategies to control mosquito diseases include killing the mosquitoes, reducing areas of standing water where they can nest and spraying to kill their larvae.

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“There is no treatment for this viral encephalitis, so prevention and supportive care are the only options,” Liu said.

There is currently no vaccine for oriental equine encephalitis.

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Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to prevent infection, the CDC confirms.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDC for additional comment.